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Family & Social Life

Donations to the Museum have preserved irreplaceable evidence about generations of ordinary Americans. Objects from the Copp household of Stonington, Connecticut, include many items used by a single family from 1740 to 1850. Other donations have brought treasured family artifacts from jewelry to prom gowns. These gifts and many others are all part of the Museum's family and social life collections.

Children's books and Sunday school lessons, tea sets and family portraits also mark the connections between members of a family and between families and the larger society. Prints, advertisements, and artifacts offer nostalgic or idealized images of family life and society in times past. And the collections include a few modern conveniences that have had profound effects on American families and social life, such as televisions, video games, and personal computers.

In the early 1800s, classical images associated with Greece and Rome became popular in America. In art and architecture, Americans sought to link their young nation to these republics of antiquity. The Roman goddess Libertas, representing personal sovereignty, was changed into Lady Liberty and adopted as an American symbol. The Citizen Fire Company chose Liberty as their emblem at its founding in 1836. Depicted on this parade hat, the female figure holds an American shield in one hand representing strength and protection. The red liberty cap atop a pole in Liberty's other hand was an internationally known symbol of the American Revolution that was also adopted from the Roman Empire.

The Diligent Hose Company chose a beehive as their primary icon. It has been a symbol of industry, hard work, and cooperation used by many different organizations. The beehive, along with their name of Diligent, implies that the members persistently worked together to serve the community in their role as firemen. Although the beehive and five-pointed star are also Masonic symbols, that does not necessarily link company members to the society. Many Masonic emblems were well known and used by other organizations around the time of the Revolution. A fire company and a Masonic lodge were similar in their male-only, predominantly artisan membership.

The emblem painted on this Fairmount Fire Company's parade hat was inspired by William Rush's sculpture entitled "Nymph and Bittern." This somewhat feminine symbol seems unusual until the history of the sculpture is known. The artwork was part of a fountain commissioned to commemorate the completion of Philadelphia's new water system in 1822. The system was state-of-the-art, and the statue was considered the best piece of public art in America. Wearing these hats linked the Fairmount Company with Philadelphia's technological advancement, cultural supremacy, and proud fire fighting history.

The work of art on this parade hat of the Northern Liberty Hose Company combines a number of patriotic emblems. The female figure, known as Lady Liberty, is a personification of the United States. In her left hand, Liberty holds a pole with a red liberty cap on top. The liberty cap was originally a Roman symbol given to freed slaves. It became an internationally known symbol of the American Revolution when colonists carried them atop poles in parades and rallies. The U.S. flag and shield are also included in the picture. Possessing similar features, both of these symbols were adopted by the Continental Congress. By the design of the flag, it can be determined that this parade hat was painted after 1795. Before that date, the thirteen stars of the flag were arranged in a circle, not the pattern visible on this hat.

Fire companies could not choose a better figure to represent their patriotism and self-sacrifice than George Washington. He was the most well-known celebrity of the time and was associated with all the positive qualities of the young country. Since so many companies chose to honor Washington in their imagery, it is difficult to know which company produced this Washington Fire Company parade hat. It is one of the more elaborate hats with Washington's image, including flags and banners flanking the portrait. A drum and a cannon are also included at the base of the American flags. These somewhat hidden images may allude to Washington's military career or the war service of members in the fire company.